Hy my dear Australian host families,
First I wish you a happy new year to all of you and your families.
My usual news message comes a little bit late this year. After finishing my Masters' internship I found a job in Paris in an urban agency. I joined a team of 4 people. We help municipalities to plan their territory and to design urban projects. The company is based in Marseille but has Agencies all around France. In Paris we are working for cities around Paris, but not for the city of Paris. Working in a private agency is a little bit stressful but I like what we are doing. I'm still in my trial period, until the beginning of March. It's a permanent contract, so when I pass this period, I can stay in this company until my retirement ahaha I don't think I will stay for ever in this company, but I will see later, when I will have enough experience to pretend to something better - maybe in the South-West of France.
At the moment, I'm living in a residence for young people (18-25 years). It's place where workers and student can live. It's really pleasant because we have our own bedroom and bathroom, but we share the kitchen, games, table soccer, and there is an overhead projector. And every night the dinner is served. People living there are coming from all around the world and work or study in all areas. We join each other for dinner and playing games before going back to our bedroom. Paris has usually a reputation of feeling alone in the middle of the crowd, but thanks to this place I don't have this feeling. I take advantage of living in Paris to visit a lot of museum and to walk all around the city during weekends. And I also enjoy going on week end to visit friends living in others cities, because Toulouse and even more Limoges, are not well deserved in train.
I also found Zof, a wildy girl, living in Paris ; and Claire, also a wildy girl living in London. I plan to take advantage of being in Paris to visit other friends from my exchange year living in others European's capitals.
It wasn't easy at the beginning because everything goes very fast in Paris. In December we had a big strike: there were no public transport. For a month I was walking 45 minutes morning and evening to go to work, in the cold...it was very tiring. Now it's over but I keep walking the morning when it's not to rainy or to cold.
My siblings also had big changements in their lives. My sister gets pregnant last winter, and gave birth the 4th of Octobre to a little boy, Raphaël (so cute). And my brother is now a teacher not far from Carcassone (1h from Toulouse, the Mediterranean Sea and the Pyrenees). He teaches physic to post graduate student. My parents are enjoying moving between Bordeaux, to see my sister, Raphaël et her husband, and Paris, to visit me and the city.
I hope to hear from you soon !!
Lot of love
Célia 😘